


Betty & Jughead's Booth

by Bisexualbuggy



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: BUT IM NOT SORRY, F/M, Friends to Lovers, betty just got back from an intership, but it does, i almost cried while writing this, it doesnt really work out, jughead is ready to confess his love, she is too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 14:07:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18592807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bisexualbuggy/pseuds/Bisexualbuggy
Summary: A lot has happened since Betty Cooper went to her summer internship. She found she has feelings for her brooding best friend, but it doesn't work out well when confessing her love to him.





	Betty & Jughead's Booth

He stood at the side of the train tracks anxiously. He rolled his feet back and forth, playing with the keys to his dad’s truck. (She didn’t know about the motorcycle yet.) Her parents had to stay at the Register, 'we just have so much work, Elizabeth' as they put it. But he stood there, waiting for her to get back, like he always would.

As soon as the train pulled into the station, his heart skipped a beat. He could see movement in the carts of the train, but he couldn’t see who they were. Damned tinted windows. As he was trying to pull away from the crowd, get higher to look for her, he heard his name.

“Juggie!” she cried, all excitement and jitters. He turned just in time to be crashed into and stumble a little. The blonde wrapped herself around the boy, a hello for the ages.

“Hey Betts,” he whispered right into her ear. His arms instinctively went around her immediately, tucking his nose into her neck to breathe her in. A whole summer without her seemed to be slowly killing him. She eventually loosened her grip enough to slide down his body, her feet planting on the floor. He got a good look at her then.

Her hair was in it’s natural ponytail, her eyes were brighter and more excited than he had ever seen them. “So! How was it? Was it everything you thought it was?” He picked up her bags that she dropped for the hug, and started walking for the exit.

“Oh goodness Juggie! It was everything and more!” He listened intently to her as she rambled on about the internship. It sounded like she had fun.

“Sounds like you had fun.”

“The most! But tell me about your summer Jug! How’s Jellybelly? Your dad?”

The truth was that he didn’t know how they were. His mother had taken Jellybean and ran a few days after Betty had left. His dad had drunk himself to- well- somewhere. Jughead hadn’t seen him in a few weeks.

“Their good. Dad’s still drinking, but not as bad.” A lie, but not completely. It was fine. He’s fine. There is no reason to worry Betty. “Tell me more about your fun.”

“No Juggie! I wanna hear it all! What books did you read? How boring was Archie?”

He had already told her the books he read, they talked basically everyday over facetime. “You know what books I read, Betts.”

“Well then how’s _writing_ your book going?” That was something he could tell her about. So he did. They got in the truck and traded more tidbits. He was driving them to Pop’s, a.k.a their safe haven.

He was gonna tell her there. Then he’d slowly pile on the baggage of the summer. She might be mad about him not telling her earlier, but he could fix that. He’s still trying to figure out how to _fix_ the baggage ordeal.

“-ggie? Jughead!” Broke him out of thoughts.

“Um, sorry what Betts?”

“I was just telling you about this guy! I realized I have _major_ feelings for him.” Another guy? Holy shit. He didn’t expect this. This wasn’t part of the plan. Archie said he saw her looking at him “like she loves you bro.” He trusted Archie!

“Uh, th-that’s great Betts! Oh look we’re here!” He pulled the truck into the parking lot and quickly got out of the car.

“Jug where are you going? And why so fast?” She quickly rushed up behind him, worried.

“I’m just gonna run into the bathroom, Betts. You know what I want.” She looked surprised, and if he knew her well enough, (he did) a little hurt. But he rushed inside the diner and ignored Pop’s “Hey Jughead!” to rush into the bathroom.

His chest hurt. He couldn’t breathe. He was sweating. The room was spinning. Another panic attack.

They had started after his mom ran. He still didn’t know how to stop them without crying himself to sleep. He didn’t think this would happen right now.

* * *

It was time. After a summer away from him, she was ready to tell him. She knew her feelings were real, and after a short conversation with Archie, she knew he’d want to be with her too. Getting off the train and into his arms felt like coming home. Like the air had been put back in her lungs.

She could also tell something was wrong with him.

He seemed more nervous.

More reserved.

When she asked about his family, he quickly shook it off.

That was never a good sign.

But after her many years of friendship with Jughead, she knew to wait for him to tell her. He always did.

She was more than happy to fill the space with stories. On facetime, they only really talked about books. She had said she wanted to save everything to tell him in person. It was a relief. To get it all out. At some point she could tell he tuned her out. Nodding his head at pauses, short responses. That’s when she decided to implement her plan, tell him that she really likes someone, a guy. Just to see how he reacts. If he reacts in excitement for her, a bad sign. He doesn’t like her. Any other way, he most likely liked her too. She didn’t expect this reaction though.

It seemed played out. More… jumpy. Unlike him. As soon as he ignored Pop, she knew something was wrong.

Her nails found the scars on her hand and lightly pressed. Centering the dizziness of her head. She had talked to Pop and sat down, but she couldn't tell you what she said. Did she order the food? Pop knows what they want anyway. Even if she didn’t.

A few minutes later, Jughead emerged from the bathroom. His eyes were red and looked like he had just been pushed in the gut. At least to Betty he did. To anyone else he was just Jughead.

“Listen Jug-“

“So what’s the guy like?” He cut her off.

“Um well, I don’t really wanna talk about him, I wanna-“

“I thought you wanted to tell me about him?” His answers seemed short. Angry. Jughead had never been angry at her before. She didn’t know how to react. Frankly, she was a little scared. His lips were set in a straight line, a crease between his eyebrows. Like he was calculating his next move.

“I-I do. I just think we should talk about you first.”

“What about me? I don’t need a pity party.” He spat.

“A pity party _for what_?” She reached up to grab his hands but realized she had opened the wounds again. Her palms were caked in blood. She muttered ‘shit’ before swiping her hands back under the table.

He had already seen the blood.

“Betty what was that?”

She played innocent. “What was what?”

“Do not play stupid with me. Show me your hands.”

“Why?”

“Show me your hands Betty.” He growled with a scowl. His eyes piercing into hers. She swallowed and slowly lifted her hands. They were still in fists, but you could see the blood leaking from the cuts.

“Holy shit Betts.” She winced as he pulled open her hands. Worry etching his features. He looked from her hands to her face. Back and forth. Before she could register, he was next to her on the seat of the booth, still holding her hands. He picked paper towels from the dispenser and quietly wiped up her hands. He folded them together, lightly, so as to not hurt her.

She watched him with careful eyes. Worried he’d leave.

He didn’t leave.

He folded her hands together and put them to his lips. Kissing them. Betty let go.

She moved her hands away and slid into his lap. Hugging him tightly.

After a few minutes of tightly embracing Jughead decided to say it, “My mom grabbed Jellybean and left. My dad hasn’t been home for the last few weeks,” He whispered. She quickly pulled back from his neck, looking at him with wide eyes.

“What?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you; you just were having so much fun, and I didn’t want to ruin it.” He looked down, ashamed.

“Jug. Juggie. Look at me,” he slowly looked up her, his eyes pleading, her lip trembled as he spoke, “You never have to hide things from me. It could be my wedding day, and- and you say that Jellybean died. I will always be there for you. No matter what. You understand me?” Her voice was firm, and kind of protective.

His lip trembled as he looked at her. His eyes were still piercing into hers when they glanced to her lips. Neither of them know who moved first, but soon-

-they were _kissing_.

Tears running down their cheeks. Snot covering their upper lips. As gross as it was, it was perfect. So their teeth clanked, and their noses bumped. It was like _living_ for the first time.

They eventually ran out of breath and pulled away; their foreheads tapped together. Then, Betty started laughing. Cackling, more like it. She threw her head back and laughed out loud. Jughead couldn’t help but join her. Pop came and delivered their food with a look of incredibility on his face but left without a word. Their laughter died down, and they just stared at each other. Jughead tilted his head to the side, a little smirk on his face.

“What?” Betty was the first to break the silence.

He licked his lips and smiled, “You wanna tell me about this guy?” Her eyes widened and she giggled, sliding off his lap and next to him to tend to her plate.

She shrugged, “Eh, I mean he’s okay.” He scoffed, grabbing onto her waist to tickle her.

There in that booth, as Betty giggled uncontrollably, and Jughead was relentless with tickling, was where they fell in love with each other.

It would be where they later said their first, ‘I love you’s’.

Where Jughead would propose on one of the trips home from New York.

Where Betty would tell Jughead about their first **and** second baby.

Where they would be told Pop had passed, and he left them the seats to that booth.

That booth would soon be moved into their new house, with their children.

The red and white, old diner booth would be where Betty got the call, that Jughead died, after being rushed to the hospital because of a stroke at old age.

That booth would be where Betty fell asleep one night. And passed peacefully in her sleep.

That booth would be passed on from generation to generation. But it would always be _Betty & Jughead’s Booth_.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first real fic, if you don't know what I mean by that, don't worry about it. This is just a one-shot btw.


End file.
